Vanilla

1. Any of various tropical American vines of the genus Vanilla in the orchid family, especially V. planifolia, cultivated for its long narrow seedpods from which a flavoring agent is obtained. 2. The seedpod of this plant. Also called vanilla bean. 3. A flavoring extract prepared from the cured seedpods of this plant or produced synthetically.

ADJECTIVE:

1. Flavored with vanilla: vanilla pudding.2. Lacking adornments or special features; basic or ordinary: “We went through a period of vanilla cars” (Charles Jordan).

ETYMOLOGY:

Obsolete Spanish vainilla, diminutive of vaina, sheath (from the shape of its seedpods), from Latin vgna.